Utaku Kohana
Utaku Kohana was a bushi and battle-maiden of the Unicorn Clan. Family Kohana was the great-niece of Utaku Takai, the Ruby Champion and her sensei at Shiro Moto A Special Assigment, by Shawn Carman in the Dojo of the Center. Demeanor Kohana wished to join the Shiotome, the most elite sisterhood that had ever been known, and feared throughout Rokugan. She guessed to serve alongside them was a great challenge, and she wished to meet it. Other saw her as the most beautiful creature they ever laid eyes on, ill-suited for that military post. The Utaku family had a well-deserved reputation for grim and humorless samurai. Utaku Kohana was a paragon of the beliefs and practices the battle maidens maintained, but she did not share those personal qualities. She was a bright and gregarious young woman who made friends quickly and easily. Gempukku Gang (Imperial Herald v2#22), by Shawn Carman First post Kohana's first assignment was as a yojimbo to a seasoned Ide Diplomat serving in the Imperial City Toshi Ranbo. She had enjoyed visiting the capital and experiencing the different traditions of other clans, but she longed to return to the open plains. She hoped that one day soon, her charge would travel to the courts of other clans, and give her the opportunity both to travel the Empire as well as to meet new and exciting people as part of her duties. Station as ambassador After the Khan's defeat in the Battle of Toshi Ranbo in 1169 the Unicorn must demonstrate the Khan's true nature by exposing the clans to their young samurai, men and women of character that could serve as an example to others of the true ideals we all hold. Aged Takai sent two of his favored students Kohana and his fellow student Moto Taban, as ambassadors to the other Clans. They were assigned to an elder courtier in one of various Unicorn delegations departing into the Empire. They would be given the assignments they desired upon return. The Prophet Kohana had arrived to the Kitsune lands to offer the Khan’s congratulations to the Kitsune Daimyo Kitsune Ryukan on the impending marriage of his niece to the Mantis Clan Champion Yoritomo Naizen. Before she departed an attack happened and she became one of several samurai who was key to protecting the prophet, Kitsune Narako. With the aide of Hiruma Aki, Bayushi Eisaku, Kakita Hideo, Yoritomo Saburo, and Kitsuki Taiko, she managed to help defeat the forces of the Shadow Dragon. But they were powerless to stop the Dragon's attack, but when the Shadow Dragon tried to absorb Narako, he triggered another prophecy and was ejected from her body. Kohana witnessed the prophecy predicting the War of Dark Fire and the coming of Kali-Ma. Narako told the prophecy was to be only for the Empress's ears. It troubled the samurai, being the Imperial Throne vacant at that time. One month later Kitsuki Iweko became the Empress Iweko I Shadows in the Forest, by Shawn Carman War of Dark Fire In 1171 during the Battle of Shiro Utaku Kohana alongside with the guest Mirumoto Kuroki, took the mares and foals from the stable and move them south, away from the fighting, to ensure that the sacred herd was not threatened by the yobanjin Army of Fire. The War of Dark Fire, Part 12, by Shawn Carman and Nancy Sauer Destroyer War Confronting Kali-Ma When word reached Saburo about the assault on Kaiu Kabe, Kohana and the others headed west to uncover the truth behind the armies of the Destroyer. The party was joined by Akodo Shunori and Moto Juncheng at the wall, and the ronin Hiroe, agreed to guide them through the Shadowlands Blood & Shadow, Part 1, by Brian Yoon in the month of the Rooster. Imperial Histories 2, p. 250 With her help, the group was able to navigate to the very heart of the Destroyer army and were the first Rokugani to witness the power of Kali-Ma. Hiroe panicked and began casting a maho spell to shield the group; but was killed by Hiruma Aki, who had seen what was doing the disguised maho-tsukai and preferred to die pure. The group engaged Kali-Ma and her elite guard but were quickly overwhelmed, and Hiruma Aki was the first killed. The rest of the group split into two teams. Kohana, along with Yoritomo Saburo, Akodo Shunori, and a reluctant Kakita Hideo escaped back to Rokugan to inform the Empire of the true power behind the Destroyer army. The others died valiently in battle against Kali-Ma and her elite guards. Blood & Shadow, Part 2, by Rusty Priske and Shawn Carman Meeting with the Empress Kohana and the survivors from the journey in the Shadowlands returned to Toshi Ranbo. They were finding a way to obtain an audience with the Empress without explaining to anyone exactly what they needed to tell her. During these days she met a monk, Furumaro, who gave her focus. Changes, by Nancy Sauer Iweko gave an audience to Kitsune Narako's guardians, to ask what was Taiko's fate. Saburo told their journey in the Shadowlands, the encounter with Kali-Ma, the death of several of his companions including Taiko, and the second prophecy of Narako. The Empress ordered them to stay in Toshi Ranbo. Furumaro joined the group. Conjunctions and Aspects, by Nancy Sauer Fighting oni In 1172 Utaku Kohana and Shinjo Yamauchi led a Khol force that struck and eradicated a horde of minor oni rushed from the flank of the Destroyer Horde that remained within the Shadowlands. The demons had been already battered by the Amoro's Legion led by Hida Sozen and a Mantis force led by the Mantis Clan Champion Yoritomo Naizen himself. The State of the Empire 5 Kohana had left Toshi Ranbo under Empress' command, leaving her group behind. After the fight ended she had to return to join again them. The Next Step, by Nancy Sauer Encounter with Aki's sister Aki's sister, Hiruma Akio, believed Kohana had helped to kill Aki. The Hiruma Scout tracked down and assaulted the Battle Maiden, grasping her throat, to avenge Aki's death. Gukgi kicked Akio and before a hoof smashed the head of the assailant it was stopped by Kohana. She told to Akio a history connecting Narako's prophecy, the Empress, the Destroyers, and Kali-Ma, with the heroic death of Aki. Akio knew that the revenge she sought had to be found in another place, fighting in the Destroyer War against the gaijin demons and their goddess. They marched to meet the rest of Kohana's group. Destiny Has No Secrets, by Lucas Twyman Furumaro's group: the eight members Hiruma Akio, Kakita Hideo, Mirumoto Ichizo, Akodo Shunori, Yoritomo Saburo, Isawa Kyoko, Bayushi Kurumi, and Kohana, formed a group. One of each Great Clan, guided by a monk, Furumaro. Furumaro had told Saburo that the Scorpion Clan had a weapon that could be used against the Destroyers, and the Empress sent them to the Soshi lands to find it. A Black Scroll is found Within the Scorpion lands the group saw several dead Scorpion and Destroyers, in a place where no records of the gaijin demons had been reported. One of the attacked samurai, Bayushi Minoru, could draw the attention of the group to a box, behind the corpse of Soshi Natsuo. Kurumi took the box and found a burnt scroll in a false bottom, which she quickly dropped, her hands stained with its contact. She had touched the Black Scroll Essence of Destruction. Searching, by Rusty Priske Ryoko Owari Upon the arrival of the group to Ryoko Owari Kyoko told that the power emanating from the scroll was resonating with something within the city, something similar to the scroll itself, although less powerful. Beneath the City, Part 1, by Shawn Carman It was not clear if it marked the Ebon Daughter, linked to Kali-Ma as the Black Scroll was. The group were approached by the ronin Gahseng and Setsuko who sought their aid against a threat that lied in the city, in the Leatherworker's Quarter. The ronin told that Gahseng had had visions of the group and waited their arrival. Ghul Lord The warriors of the group followed the ronin to a building and found a hidden entrance to an underground dungeon. There they met the Ebon Daughter, and the Ghul Lord, an inhuman creature of large size. The samurai fought him, while the Daughter escaped, and eventually Hideo beheaded the monster. Susprisingly it would not end the creature's life, who began to regenerate and the head joined again to the body. The group departed and Gahseng remained behind to give them time to burn the place. Outside the building they were detained by Bayushi Sihaken, an officer of the city, and his men. Sihaken followed the warning made by Saburo and put the building to the torch. Fires in the City of Lies could not be controlled and all the Quarter burned to the ground. Beneath the City, Part 2, by Brian Yoon Hunting zombies Kyoko had fallen ill, and the group remained in the city clearing it of the Ghul Lord's creations, uncovering zombies hideouts. After the battle where the God Beast of Kali-Ma died, Furumaro pressed to move on, even if Kyoko was not fully recovered, but Saburo disagreed. The Road to Recovery, by Brian Yoon Black Scroll In 1173 the group realized the scroll they were hidden should be a Black Scroll, and it was beeing sought by the Scorpion and the forces of Kali-Ma. They returned to Toshi Ranbo and Doji Ayano went with them to the Imperial Palace upon Empress request. Furumaro alleged he had to purify himself and did not join the visit. Iweko bid to continue their guardianship for a time, and gave them a letter which should be delivered to Daigotsu, in his lair in the Fingers of Bone. The Hinge of Destiny, by Nancy Sauer Visiting Daigotsu There were doubts in the group about the opportunity of the Empress' commands, but they alongside with the courtier Ayano reached the border of the Fingers. They were met and escorted by Daigotsu Hotako, the Obsidian Champion. There were present Shahai, Daigotsu Usharo, the Onyx Champion Takasho, and the Dark Lord. After Daigotsu read the message he gave the Tao of Fu Leng to Ayano as requested by the Empress. The group returned to the Imperial City. City of Masks They eventually moved on again. When she and her traveling companions had crossed paths with the remnants of a battle maiden patrol, Kohana had felt compelled to join her kinsmen. When the forces of Kali-Ma, tiger-headed alike Destroyers, reached the City of Masks in Scorpion lands, Utaku Jin-lao sacrificed her life so Kohana could escape. This repaid a debt, because Kohana's father did the same to save the life of Jin-lao's mother when the two battle-maiden were still children. The Destroyer War, Part 12, Shawn Carman Kohana returned and the group reached a Scorpion temple which was being evacuated because the near presence of the Destroyers. Goddesses, Part 2, by Shawn Carman The temple could be Shinden Gyokei, currently the point were Kali-Ma was marching. Goddesses, Part 1, by Shawn Carman The Scroll is opened In the month of the Goat Imperial Histories 2, p. 254 the group somehow knew that the Empress was traveling in the region, exposing her to be killed by the forces of Kali-Ma. They believed the group quest had been the motivation and bearing of the Empress journey, and several decided to act, making anything that could protect Iweko. Ichizo suggested to open the Black Scroll, because the safety of the Empress was worthy of the group damnation. Akio was the only one who openly disagreed, but Saburo retrieved the scroll and opened it. At that time, Fu Leng, formerly known as the monk Furumaro, recovered his divinity and exposed his true identity to Akio, while the rest of the group were unconscious. Goddesses, Part 3, by Shawn Carman Shahai and the Tao Shahai appeared before the group of young samurai who held the Tao of Fu Leng, told Daigotsu had died, and enacted a ritual to steal power from the gaijin goddess. Shunori and Saburo decided to condemn their souls to save the Empire and were beside the Lady of Blood. As a vessel for divine power, the Tao contained what was stolen, draining Kali-Ma of her divinity, but not all. When Shahai sacrificed the samurai who had helped her, Shunori and Saburo, Akio killed the Dark Daughter and stopped the ritual. Nearby the dying Fu Leng had given his divine power to Daigotsu, who emerged from Jigoku as his Master and slew the weakened Kali-Ma. Goddesses, Part 4, by Shawn Carman Susumu and the Tao From another temple where other events had happened arrived the Voice of the Emperor Togashi Satsu, who questioned the group survivors. During the explanation appeared the corpse of who was the Imperial Advisor Susumu. He requested the Tao and Satsu attacked him without result, Susumu seemed beyond injury. Somehow he channelled the power cointained inside the book and departed with Satsu to parlay with the Empress. End of the War The Empress informed to the Great Clans of the new condition of the Spider Clan. Those free of taint could remain in the Empire, and the tainted were put under guard of the Dragon Clan, to extend the Empire in the Ivory Kingdoms, in the Spider's exodus. For first time since Iweko was ascended as the Child of Heavens, she spoke, proclaiming the Iweko's Conquerors. As a side effect Shahai and Susumu had been eleveated by Daigotsu as Dark Fortunes. No one censured the survivors of the group for what had happened, as they were acting on Empress authority. They were simply overlooked and let them lapse into obscurity. Aftermath, Part 1, by Shawn Carman See also * Utaku Kohana/Meta External Links * Utaku Kohana (Samurai Edition) * Utaku Kohana Exp (The Heaven's Will) Category:Unicorn Clan Members